Flexible coupling.



A. BIGELMAN.

FLEXIBLE OOUPLING.

APPLIOATION rum Nov.s.1o1o.

l Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

,y UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

AUGUSTUS BIGELMAN, 0F WATERVLIET, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE VICTORAPPLIANCE COMPANY, 0F WATERVLIET, NEW YORK.

` FLEXIBLE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 26,1911.

Application filed Novemberl B, 1910. Serial No. 591,360.

To all'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsTUsBIGELMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Watervliet, in the county ot Albany and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Couplings;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

coupling.

This invention relates to flexible couplings for uniting driving shafts;and it consists in the `novel construction and combination of the partshereinafter fully described and claimed whereby a driving connection isestablished between the shafts ,without the use of bolts or othersimilar fastening devices.

In the drawings, Figure i is a side View of the coupling. Fig. 2 an endview of the Figx is a longitudinal section, taken on the line 5cin Fig.2. Fig. 4c is a cross-section taken on the line 3/-g/ in Fig. l. Fig. 5is a detail side view of one part or section of the body. Fig. G is anend view of the saine. Fig. 7 is a detail side view oi 'onevot thesleeves. Fig. 8 is an end view ol" the same.4 Figs. t), 10, and ll arerespectively a side view, end view and a plan view of one of the shoes.

The body of 4the coupling is formed of two similar halves or parts A,which are adapted to be secured side by side. Each part A has similarhalf sockets B and B at its ends. These halt' sockets may be arranged inthe same plane so that each part A is substantially a long haltcylinder, or they may be arranged at a right angle to each other so thateach part A is formed of two short half cylinders Y) and b arranged endto end and at a right angle to cach other. rl'he sockets B and B aresector-shaped, and they are provided with conical entrances 0, andspherical recesses c. The spherical recesses c are formed concentricwith the sockets. The middle portion oi the coupling body is providedwith a circumferential chamber or groove D for oil.

E is a cylindrical housing which is slid over the coupling body afterits halves have been placed together. 'One of the body parts in the bodypart, and its outer end is rounded over. The housing E has a fiat placef formed around the end of the pin, and this formation of the pin andhousing permits the pin to be pressed inward with facility when it isdesired to disengage the housing from the body portion. The pin F canalso be pressed inward so as to pour oil into the chamber D.

The two shafts G and H to be united b the coupling have similar couplingsleevesl secured on them. Each sleeve I has trun nions z' at one endportion'. These trunnions may be 'formed integral with the sleeve, orthey maybe formed by passing a pin cresswise through the sleeve, and thesleeve pref-` erably has an enlargement and flattened side portions e"around the trunnions.

.T are shoes provided with holes j which are mounted on the trunnionst'. These shoes are arc-shaped in torni, and they are arranged to workin the sockets ot thc body portion. 'lhe conical entrances c and 'thespherical recesses c permit the sleeves to move to a limited extent ontheir trunnions as shown in Fig. 5l, so that the coupling has therequired llexibility, shafts which are not 'in other.

K are guarida-upset thin sheet metal or other suitable inaierifxl. Thesecups are ar# ranged on the sleeves I, and they have spherical portionsl.: fwhich are substantially concentric with the trunuions, and whichengage with spherical surfaces la on the ends ot the housing E. Flachsleeve has a collar M secured on its 'free cud portion, and a springwasher m of any approved 'lormis interposed between the collar and theguard-cup. These washers are preferably formed o't corrugated sheetmetal, and the collars are prete ably secured to the sleeves by lmvoi1et.joilits, but the collars line with each and will connect may besecured by any other aiproved ,is specially intended for use inconnection with the engines of motor-boats and automobiles, and it maybe used wherever a flexible coupling is desirable.

lNhat I claim is:

1. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed oflongitudinally sep arable sections and provided with sector shapedpockets in each end. portioinof shoes arranged in pairs and engagingpivotally 'with the said pockets, sleeves pivoted between the pairs ofshoes and adapted to be secured on the shaft sections, and means forsecuring the sections of the body portion in position.

2. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed of twosimilar' parts arranged side by side, of sleeves pivotally connectedwith the end portions of the body portion and adapted to be secured tothe shafts, a housing inclosing the parts of the ody portion, and aspring-pressed pin for locking the said body portion to the housing.

3, In a coupling, the combinatioin'with a bodyportion formed of twosimilar parts arranged side by side, cach part comprising two halfcylinders arranged end to end and at an angle to each other, of sleevespivotally connected with the'end portions of the body portion, and ahousing inclosingk the parts of Vthe body portion.

4. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed of twosimilar parts arranged side by side, each end of the body portion beingprovided with sector-shaped sockets, of'sleeves adapted to be secured tothe shafts, shoes pivoted to the said sleeves and engaging pivotallywith the said sockcts, and a housing inclosing the parts of the bodyportion.

5. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed of twosimilar parts arranged side by side, each end of the body' portion beingrovided with sector-shaped sockets having conical entrances andspherical recesses formed concentric with the sockets, of sleevesadapted to be secured to the shafts, shoes pivoted tothe said sleevesand engaging pivotally with the said sockets,

and a housing inclosing the parts of the body portion.

6. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed of twosimilar parts arranged side` by side and having an oil recess at themiddle part of its periphery, of a housing encircling the said body portion and provided with anl oil-hole, and sleeves pivotally connectedwith the end' portions of the'body portion and adapted to be .secured tothe shafts, the pivots of the said sleeves being in communication withthe said oil recess.

7. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed oflongitudinally separable sections and provided with sectorshaped pocketsin one end portion, of two shoes which engage pivotally with the saidpockets, a sleeve pivoted between the said shoes and adapted'V to besecured to one shaft section, connecting devices at the other end of thebody portion for engaging with the other shaft section, and means forsecuring the sections of the body portion in position.

8. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed ofseparable sections and provided with pockets,-of means for connecting ashaft to one end ofthe body portion, a sleeve provided' with means forconnecting it to another shaft Vandhaving trunnions at one end, shoesmounted on the said trunnions and engaging pivotally with the saidpockets, and a housing inclosing the said sections.

9. In a coupling, the combination, with a body portion formed of twosimilar parts arranged side by side,each end of the body portion beingprovided with sector-shaped sockets, of sleeves adapted to be secured-to the shafts and provided with trunnions,

shoes pivoted on the said trunnions and engaging pivotally with the saidsockets, and a housing inclosing the parts of the body portion. l

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

AUGUSTUS BIGELMAN.

Witnesses:v

CHARLES S. ALDRICH, L. B. CLnXToN.

